State Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, said today that she submitted her Vikings stadium bill today and it will be formally introduced in the Minnesota Senate on Monday. Rosen also said she expects committee hearings to begin on the bill next week.

“The hope is to bring it to the floor,” Rosen said. “We’ll start having hearings next week and get it through the proper process and do the due diligence.”

Rosen said she’s still confident that the Vikings stadium bill has a chance to pass this session. For example she said it has the support of leaders from both parties. GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem and DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk have signed on as co-authors. Senjem wouldn’t say whether the bill had a chance to pass this session, given that most members don’t know the full details of the proposal.

“The good thing here is that it’s on board and it’s in the process,” Senjem said. “We’re able to now take it and chew in on for a while and find out what it tastes like.”

Senate staffers say the bill language should be available late Friday afternoon.

Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, told reporters on Thursday that he hoped to introduce the bill in the Minnesota House on Monday.

Next week is a critical step for the stadium because all bills have to clear at least one policy committee before March 16.

About the blogger

Tom Scheck has covered politics and state government for more than ten years for MPR News. He’s covered several gubernatorial campaigns, two statewide recounts, the presidential bids of Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann, U.S. Senate races, close Congressional contests and the Minnesota Legislature. He lives in Falcon Heights with his wife, son and dog. He can sometimes be found chasing a white ball on a golf course. It isn’t a straight walk. Tips are welcome at tscheck@mpr.org